Pantomime
by TheLostTree21
Summary: Hermione leaves to get away from lost love, she runs to an old acquaintance only to have an old love catch up. This is the journey Harry and Hermione take to get their lives in order. THIS IS AN HHR STORY.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: **Okay, so this new story is something that I've been working on for a few months, so that means this story is almost complete. I have almost all the chapters complete and they need to be revised so the chapters will be published as soon as they're revised and checked over.

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**Pantomime**: (noun) the art or technique of conveying emotions, actions, feelings, etc., by gestures without speech. Significant gesture without speech.

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Hermione Granger was used to being over looked. When she was a child, all the children used to make fun of her because she was hooked on books and they were hooked on jungle gyms and treats. She didn't begrudge them their fun, as long as they didn't bother her, she was fine. The loneliness wasn't a problem, not until she met a boy, a boy with hypnotizing eyes of emerald.

This friendship that bloomed from the very first time they met on a train and took off from the moment he jumped on a troll's back to save her; it seemed it was fate that brought them together. Their lives tangled in a sweet mess of successions perfectly synchronized.

Throughout their years of friendship, she thought she knew him completely, and she thought that she couldn't ever capture his eyes like a redheaded girl they knew so well. It wasn't that Hermione could be less than anyone else or couldn't succeed on owning his heart. It was the fact that he never showed any interest in her the way she would've liked and before she could make a fool of herself walking up to him and pour out her fragile heart, Hermione decided to draw back, convinced that it was for the best. Letting go seemed the best way to move on. So she tried to fall for another, a boy with hair of spun fire, a boy who made her laugh; but nonetheless a boy whose kisses felt like those of a brother, who shouldn't even care enough for her to try and understand their different hobbies despite all the years they've known each other; that redhead so insecure of himself that he felt the need to compete even against her, sometimes to the point of crushing her own expectations.

So she broke up with him, and the boy with emerald eyes watched in sadness that his friend tried to hide her pain. He thought she truly loved the boy with red hair, so he let her go, he did nothing at all.

He watched as she hid behind her books and logic, and she didn't see the pain that was concealed in his eyes. It was a tough few months for them. He almost told her, he almost said those three words….but a cup of tea was his folly, never having the courage to confront himself with his own heart, never knowing how to approach a girl.

And when she confessed her love, she decided she was done with it. Done trying to get Harry Potter to notice her. To notice the depth of her love for him. To her it seemed like it was never enough, like whatever happened she would always be taken for granted. She remembered another boy, a boy with an accent and a strong nose and jaw. A boy who asked her to a ball once upon a time. So she packed away her things and told her friends she was leaving. The boy with the emerald eyes, appalled to this sudden revelation, pleaded to escort his best friend to the airport. She acquiesces, she thinks, he'll be the last face she sees and she'll cherish it for as long as she's away. He'll be the face of her past and her first love. She knows she can learn to love again.

When it was time to board the plane, he tugged her into one last firm hug, having trouble letting her go, sniffling into her now not-so-messy chestnut hair. He kisses her brow and masks his sadness away. She craved that hug. She let herself be swept away in the firmness of his body, in his manly scent one last time. And she left.

He let her run to Bulgaria. He watched her get on a plane and fly away.

"I'll miss you Hermione…" he whispers as the plane flies away, and he walked away, to the Burrow where his young girlfriend awaited him.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Okay, so this chapter hasn't really been beta'd but I'm still going to post it. I think you guys need to know what happens next. Also, I know that I don't ask for reviews as incentive to get the next chapters, but it would be nice to know what you guys think so far, just so that I can have an idea of whether you guys like a storyline/plot or not. I like to know if the story is any good. Any reviews would be nice, but don't worry, you don't need to review to get the next chapter so soon.

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Chapter 1

(Hermione's POV)

She didn't know why she decided to go to Bulgaria, maybe because she thought she could find something in the arms of her old friend. Maybe she thought she would find what was missing in her life. But what she tried to deny, what kept niggling in the back of her mind, You can't runaway from your feelings for Harry, they'll come back, again and again. No matter how much you try to find solace in Viktor's arms, it's not possible.

But she just told that voice to shut up and let her be happy.

Because Viktor was a nice young man, and he liked her with her bushy hair and obsessive love of books, and her constant worrying, or what her boys liked to call "nagging." He actually wanted to be with her.

And that's all that mattered to Hermione. Somebody wanted to be with her without changing her. Viktor would treat her well. He would love her with everything he had.

As she walked out of the terminal, she looked at all the faces awaiting somebody, she looked for a familiar face. A face she had come to like, or at least that's what she tried to tell herself. Viktor wasn't ugly, he had the sort of handsome face that looked dangerous and smoldering. He had women all over the world, or maybe just Europe, wanting to be with him, and he wanted her. If that didn't make her feel better than nothing would. Maybe she was being shallow, but she was heartbroken and feeling as low as can be, she just knew that Viktor could make her feel better.

"Hermin-inny!" she heard somebody yell, she cringed at the name, but forced her face into a semblance of happiness.

"Viktor!" She said happily, she gave him a crushing hug, she was happy to see him. She just wished she was there on better terms.

He nuzzled into her neck, "How are you?" he said, his accent still showing through.

"I'm doing well, I just needed a change of scenes! And I heard that the Bulgarian Ministry needed help, so I decided to volunteer," she said with a forced smile. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Come, you must be very tired, yes?" he asked. He led her through the terminal into a secluded spot where he could apparate to his home. With a pop they were gone, they appeared just outside a home with acres of land all around. The home was something she didn't expect. To be honest, she expected something modern and bachelor-pad-ish. What she saw was something small and quaint, something almost out of a fairytale.

"You live here?" she asked, surprise showing on her face. "It's beautiful, it looks like something I would want when I get married…" she says trailing off.

His smile gets wider, possibly even brighter, "I bought it with you in mind," he admits sheepishly.

She doesn't quite know what to say to that, but she smiles anyway, it's what was expected of her. Looking at the house, she felt a pang of sadness, this was the home she was supposed to have with Harry. A home were they could live comfortably, she would have the reading nook with a wide window where she would be able to see Harry and the children play Quidditch outside, and she would go outside and take them lemonade or cookies as a snack. That was the life she was supposed to have. She let a single tear fall without knowing that Viktor was watching her closely.

He could see the sadness on her face. He vowed that he would do everything to make her happy again. She was special and wonderful. And a beautiful person like Hermione shouldn't dwell on past sadness.

He grabbed her hand and led her to her room. A room with her in mind, it was all creams and neutrals with pops of periwinkle, it had shelves upon shelves where she could store her books. It had a desk where she could do her work that she couldn't finish at the office, and it had a reading nook. That almost made her cry again.

She turned to him again, "Thank you Viktor, I really appreciate you letting me live here. I know how last minute this was and I hope I'm not intruding." She reaches up to give him another bone crushing hug, she sighs in relief. She could be happy here.

She would try to forget him. She would move on. Whether it be with Viktor or another man, she would try. And she would be happy again.

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5 years later

"Viktor? Are you home?" Hermione yelled, her voice reverberating throughout the lone house. "Viktor?"

She sighs, he must be out again. That was the third time this week. Throughout the five years she had been here in Bulgaria, she had been semi-happy. The first two years, she and Viktor had remained strictly platonic. She had seen him go out with countless women, and she hadn't been bothered by it. It wasn't until one night almost three years ago, where she had had enough, she wanted to be with Viktor, she wanted to feel wanted by him again. She was tired of keeping to herself.

So when she told him she was ready he dropped whoever he was with at the moment to be with her. And they started dating, they took time to learn about each other, they became best friends. They went on dates like picnics and Quidditch games, he took her to restaurants in the city. He treated her like she was the only woman in the world. Sometimes she would look at him and see another face then she would blink and it was him again. Their relationship was a work in progress.

They hadn't slept together until the fourth month of their courtship. He made it perfect for her. And she was falling in love with him. Yes, she still thought about Harry, but he made it blatantly obvious that he was in love with Ginny. They were married. And I wasn't invited. That stung, but I wouldn't want to be there anyway. So I stayed in Bulgaria with Viktor who I had fallen in love with.

She walked into the sitting room and noticed a trail of roses leading her into their room. She tentatively followed the petals. She didn't know what was going to be at the end of trail, but she hoped it wasn't death eaters. She had her wand gripped loosely in her hand, she pushed the door in slowly, "Hello?" she whispered.

She saw a shadow move and without another thought, sent a stunner at it. She saw the shadow crash into their bookshelf. She turned on the lights to see Viktor sprawled where the shadow had fallen. "Oh my god, Viktor!" She ran towards him and with a hasty enervate, he awoke.

"What was that for?" he grunted!

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I thought you were an intruder!" she says with a whine. "What were you doing crouched in the darkness anyway?" she asks, anger lacing her voice.

"Well, I was trying to propose woman!" he says thrusting a small box at her.

"Oh my god," Hermione whispers, her doe eyes looking at the box like it was going to jump at her. She tentatively grabbed that box from his hands, she lifts the top to see a beautiful white gold ring with three stones of diamond. She looks to see Viktor studying her, "Yes," she whispers.

A beautiful smile erupts on his face and he slips the ring onto her left hand ring finger. They stare down at the ring with smiles on their faces. Nothing could stop them from being happy then. Just then they hear a ring reverberate throughout the house: somebody's at the front door. "I'll get it," Hermione says.

She walks towards the front of her home, still giddy from becoming engaged with a wonderful man, she looks up into the greenest eyes she had ever seen. Eyes she hadn't seen in a while. "Harry," she whispers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **_if you love Ginny as a character, be warned, this chapter doesn't really portray her in a pretty light. _Also, she will be redeemed in later chapters. Now, carry on with the story.

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**Chapter 2**

"Harry, what are you doing here?" she asks angrily. Her happiness evaporated once she looked into her once best friends eyes. She notices the darks circles under his eyes and the sad look in them.

His eyes widen, "I wanted to see you?" he smiles that crooked smile, the one that showed how nervous he really was, and the one she used to love in her youth.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home with _your_ wife?" She spits at him.

He sighs angrily, "Heard about that did you? Well, its over, she turned out to be somebody I didn't want. At least I got a son out of it, but I wasn't happy," he says with finality. He looks behind him, "Look can I just come in and can we talk?" He asks just as they hear Viktor come out of the room.

"Hermione? Whose at the door?" Viktor asks loudly, his voice portraying his curiosity.

Harry's eyes widen at the voice,"oh," he mumbles while looking at the floor downtrodden.

"It's ah, just Harry," she says trying to sound nonchalant about the whole thing. "Viktor, why don't you show him into the sitting room. I'll make some tea," she says as she make's a hasty retreat into the kitchen. She hear's them conversing as she make's the tea, _what is he doing here? S_he thinks angrily. Right when she thought she was finally getting to be _happy_ and he shows up here? _It isn't fair!_ She thinks.

She reluctantly heads towards the sitting room, she pauses when she hears Viktor say her name, "She was very unhappy when she got here…" he says quietly.

"I never found out why she left, it was a tough few months without her, well, it's been a tough few years without her…" Harry sighs.

She make's the china rattle to alert them that she was heading their way. Hermione walk's in and sees Harry glance at her hand, he does a double take taking in her engagement ring as she places the tray onto the table. His eyes widen and his face pales. _Good, _she thinks.

Her eyes meet Viktor's, he watching her closely, almost scrutinizing her. She smile's sweetly at him, "So what have you boys been talking about?"

She watches them try to gather what they want to say. "You're in engaged?" Harry asks almost angrily. His body stiff and the teacup rattling in his hands.

"Yes, about 20 minutes ago, aren't you going to congratulate us?" She say's with a false sweet tone.

He tenses even more, "Of course, congratulations," he mumbles. He looks at me with those eyes again, they're so _sad_, his mouth is turned into a slight frown.

Viktor places his hand on her thigh, she tenses slightly, "Thank you," Viktor says with a smile. He doesn't understand what's been happening; that its been a battle of who can keep their cool.

"So you said you had a son, what's his name?" She asked tersely. She sees him wince, _good he _should_ feel bad, _she thinks. He should feel horrible for not inviting one of his oldest friends to his farce of a wedding. He just couldn't keep it in his pants. He always did like the _pretty_ ones, Hermione thinks bitterly.

"His name is James, he's lovely, you would like him…" He says quietly.

"Well, I wouldn't know, I've never met the boy," she says cattily. She notices his eyes get stormy, but he doesn't say anything more. She doesn't notice Viktor's shoulder's slump in resignation.

From the corner of her eye, she sees Viktor stand up, "I must go, I have to work in 15 minutes." He kisses Hermione tenderly on the lips, "I love you," he says giving her one last kiss on the forehead.

She hears him sigh in resignation. "Good bye Harry," he says hurriedly. He rushes out the door, the door slamming. He must not be as dim as she gives him credit for.

"Why are you here?" Hermione asks again.

"I wanted to see you, look I'll understand if you never want to see me again, but I just needed to see you…I missed you," he whispers softly.

Hermione's eyes soften, _Me too_, she thinks. But she can't go through what she went through those first two years she was here. She can't let him in again. Last time she did and he rejected her.

She remember's when she told him she didn't think of him as a brother. They were at Grimmauld Place, just after the war, they were drinking tea that Ginny had prepared. They didn't know that _his_ tea was laced. It was laced with a potion that would render the drinker in control of the one who it was keyed too: Ginny. It was _liquid imperius_. There was no way to fight it off, no matter how powerful Harry is. And he _did_ try, when Hermione told him that she thought he was the most wonderful person in the world, that he meant the world to her, he did nothing. He just sat there, trapped in his own mind. It was like she wasn't even there.

But once Ginny walked in, it was like he was alive again. It broke Hermione to see that. So she left.

She hears Harry cough, breaking her out of her reverie. "How are the Weasley's? Still populating the Earth?"

He chuckles, "Well if you must know, Ron is with Lavender, and they have about 6 children! A pair of twins and 4 more children. They go at it like bunnies. And George is well, he's with a girl he hired at his shop, you wouldn't know her, she started when you left. Her name is Hope, she's nice, no children yet; although Molly is hounding them for some. And Percy is with Penelope, they have one child. Charlie is in Romania, no children, a girlfriend who nobody knows the name of. Bill and Fleur have 2 children. They're beautiful of course. And well, Ginny, we just have James, but I think she and Neville are working on her second, his first…" he says with a smile and a shrug, Hermione's face contorts in confusion. "What about you? Any children?" He asks, gesturing towards the other rooms.

"No, Viktor and I are really careful with potions and spells. We're not ready…._I'm_ not ready. Maybe I'm not ready for _his_ children," she says quietly. Harry looks up quickly at that. She looks into his eyes, hope shining in them, she shakes her head.

"So you mentioned Ginny and Neville? I thought you were the love of her life or something?" She says snidely, after the way Ginny treated her, you would think that Hermione was trying to steal Harry away from her; admittedly Hermione did want Harry to love her, but she wouldn't try to steal him. She wanted what would make Harry happy; that's all that mattered to her. Ginny must've known that, but Ginny still treated her like scum.

"Or something, you know, she stopped taking the contraceptive potions because she wanted to 'bag me.' When we got married, it was made so hastily because she was already five months pregnant with James. I was forced into it. I didn't even love her, she got me drunk on potions and well, I wanted to be with, uh, _somebody_ else and she took advantage of that. That was my first time too…" He says with a scowl. "Can you imagine that? The boy-who-lived's first time happening while he's under the influence of potions and to a girl he didn't even love," he says bitterly.

"Of course the media ate it up, twisting it to be this big fairytale! A girl stays home from the war while her boyfriend goes off to fight the big bad evil villain, and then she gets pregnant on purpose so that she could have her prince charming! But thats the thing! I'm not a prince or a fucking hero! I'm just harry!" He yells angrily. His teacup falls to the hardwood floors, glass fragments mingling with the tea. "I just wanted to be happy," he says breaking down. A sob tearing through his facade, she feels tears threatening to fall onto her face.

She gets up and pulls him into her arms. And together they cry for all the hurt they went through. Once they're both tired of crying, they sit there on the sofa holding each other. Harry stroking her hair and Hermione entangling their hands together, occasionally squeezing his hand in reassurance. "Did I tell you I missed you too?" she says with a smile. She nuzzles into the crook of his neck trying to become closer to him.

"No, but it's nice to hear once in a while too. Are you happy Hermione?" he whispers, his breathe warm on her cheek.

"Yes," she says tentatively.

"Then that means I must go, I'll only bring you more pain," his voice cracks, "I love you."

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**Author's Note:** Sorry for the cliffhanger! Next chapter will be posted soon! Please review what you guys think, I love to know how you guys are feeling or thinking!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **So I couldn't leave you guys suffering that long. I don't like to be left with cliffhangers either, so why would I want to put my readers through that?

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**Chapter 3**

He gets up and starts to walk towards the front door. "So that's it? You're not even going to fight? You're just going to give up?" she asks frantically, her voice shrill and high.

"What do you want me to do Hermione? You said it yourself? You're happy here! You're happy with Viktor! Don't give that up because of me!" He says brokenly.

"But what about what I want? I wanted you, don't you understand that? I only wanted you! And James if he'll have me?" she says pleadingly.

"Viktor?" he asks, he has to ask, he can't forget about him. Viktor has given her a life here, he's given her love and he's proposed marriage. He can't forget the man who saved Hermione from drowning.

"What about him? I love him, of course I love him. But there's somebody who I love more, somebody I'm in love with.…And I all ready I let him go once. And I'm not going to let him go again. This is our second chance, please don't let me go, please," she says with a sob.

He propels himself forward and pulls her into a bone crushing hug, "I won't. I promise, just be patient with me. I've waited so long for you…."

Harry kisses her on the neck but pulls away, "You need to speak to Viktor before anything else happens. I don't want to you to cheat on him. I don't want to be the other man. I'm going into town to look for a room for the night, I'll see you tomorrow. I love you," he says quietly.

"I love you too," she whispers. He kisses her cheek lingering longer than normal.

As she waits for Viktor, she contemplates what happened after Viktor left. He must've known, must've known that this would happen when Harry showed up in her life again. Hermione didn't set out to break Viktor's heart. That is the last thing she wanted to do, but she loves Harry, she loves him more than she could possibly love Viktor. Maybe that's why having children with Viktor scares her. Maybe she was waiting. Waiting for Harry to find her again.

She must've been sitting in the same spot for hours because when she hear's Viktor call her name its dark out. "I'm in here!" she calls out.

"Why are you sitting in the darkness? Where's Harry?" He questions as he starts lighting the room up.

"I was thinking," she says quietly. "As for Harry? He's in town, looking for a room or possibly all ready in a room. I don't know, who knows with him…" she rambles.

Viktor looks at her questioningly, he sees her twirling her ring round and round, she still's her hands, noticing him staring at her hands. She looks at him sheepishly, "Viktor? Where do you see yourself in ten years?"

He sits down next to me, he casually slips his arm around her, she tense's up, "I suppose here in this house with you, married and with children…" he pauses and bites his lower lip, "But I know that's not what you want."

He leans into her face, and for a second she thinks he's going to kiss her. But he kisses her on the cheek, "I'm setting you free, go to him," he whispers. He gets up and leaves her sitting there in shock. She know's he's angry by the way his shoulders are tense and his hands balled into fists, he makes his way out of the house slamming doors muttering to himself in Bulgarian. She didn't mean to hurt him.

"Thank you, Viktor," she whispers, she takes off her engagement ring, leaving it in the middle of the coffee table. Maybe in another life, she would've stayed with Viktor and lived a long and happy life with him, but that isn't _this_ life. In _this_ life, she's going to be with a man she's been friends with since she was 11 years old and loved since she was 14. There's nobody to stop them anymore.

She packs what she came here with. Leaving everything of her life with Viktor behind because it didn't belong to her anymore. It belonged to the Hermione that Viktor loved. And that wasn't who she was, maybe she wasn't ever that Hermione.

She tried and Viktor is the one who is going to have to deal with the ache of it. She didn't understand how her life could change in the matter of hours. But it did. And now she's going to go to the love of her life.

She takes one last look at the house she lived in for five years, a sadness threatening to seep out, but she knows that this part of her life is over. She must go live her life now.

She walks into town and looks for the only inn that exists in this part of Bulgaria. A bell above the door rings when she enters, the owner, a man who reminds her of Ollivander beckons her in. Even though she's lived here for five years, she has almost no idea who works in this town, especially this inn. "Yes, I'm looking for a friend of mine? Harry, Harry Potter?" she says quietly.

"He is up in room 11," He says gruffly. He gestures for her to move on, she scramble's past him and hurries up the rickety stairs.

She pause's outside the door, hearing voices, she tentatively raises her fist to knock, and then she hear's some shuffling before the door is finally opened.

Harry stands there, his mouth agape, clearly in shock about her being there. Finally he realizes that it's really her, he pulls her into him, and they stand there reveling in being together. "Come in! Come in! Sorry about the mess, I wasn't expecting you here so soon!" He says while hastily throwing clothes into the corner of the room.

"Da?" she hear's a little voice question. She freeze's in place, she didn't expect to meet anybody but Harry here. Now she's going to look into the face of a child produced by the man she love's and a woman who tormented her. She looks to Harry who freeze's up too, he must've forgotten that James was just in the next room.

"Sorry, excuse me," he hurries from the room. She worries that he'll look too much like Ginny, that she'll end up resenting him, but how can she hate someone who is half Harry?

She ease's quietly towards the room where Harry and James are. She sees James looking at Harry like he's his hero, a pang of _something_ hits her; something she doesn't entirely want to analyze at the moment.

They're talking quietly, she see's James glance towards the door, she step's back before he can see her. She walk's quickly back towards the sitting room; she sit's quietly before she hears footsteps heading her way. She looks up to see Harry with James in his arms, "He wanted to meet you, he's heard so much of you," he says quietly.

She look's up at James, he has Harry's eyes and dark red hair it's almost brown, porcelain skin, and ruby cheeks. He's beautiful.

Hermione smile's tentatively at him, he smiles then goes into a fit of giggles, "She's pretty, can she stay?" he asks in his childlike innocence.

Harry's face turns radiant, "Yes, if she wants to?" his voice turns inquisitive, he looks at her, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Yes, I think I would like that," she says with a bright smile. James bounds out of Harry's arms and into Hermione's arms. She embraces him and closes her eyes serenely. He's just like Harry, she let's a tear fall, this is what she could've had if things had gone differently. But she wouldn't change it for the world. She wouldn't give James back because she loves him all ready and she loves Harry. If she had to go through it all over again, she would if it would lead right back to being here.

Harry embraces them both, he knows they still have a lot to talk about, but that can wait while they have their first family hug.

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**Author's Note: **the next chapter will be posted soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

After Harry puts James back to sleep, he comes back to the sitting room. "What did you think?" he questions, gesturing wildly in the directions of James room, patiently waiting for her verdict on his son.

"He's beautiful," she says wistfully, "I wish he was mine," she whispers. "But I wouldn't change him." She doesn't voice that she wishes that Ginny wasn't his mother, but you can't change genetics, no matter that it's the Wizarding World.

"He's not hers you know? She gave him up, she was just 19 when she had him, she wasn't ready. She just wanted to have him to bag me, and it worked for a few months. She had stopped giving me the potions after the wedding thinking that I had actually loved her. But when I wouldn't sleep with her after that first time when she conceived with James, she got angry, she didn't want to take care of him, she didn't want anything to do with him. So she gave up all rights when I filed for divorce. She was in Azkaban, for a two years. When I filed for divorce, they made us do check ups and questionings. When they did the veritaserum, they asked why I didn't want to stay with Ginny anymore, I told them that it wasn't love. That being ordered by potions wasn't love. They immediately went to trial because of who I am…."

"It was a mess, the Weasley's were shocked, especially Mrs. Weasley, she's always held Ginny in this unwavering light. When they took her away, I demanded that she sign her rights away. Ever since those few months, the Weasley's helped me care for James. They were sorry of course, but it didn't change anything. I was still held against my will, raped, and I had a son." He looks down at their hands that are intertwined, his brows furrowed, mouth pinched, "When she got out, I couldn't go to the Burrow, I didn't want to see her. When she got out, she met up with Neville. Neville's always had a soft spot for her, I don't know why, but he does. They've been together ever since. You do remember when I said she's with Neville? That they're trying for a baby?" she nods in remembrance.

"Well, she says she's ready, but I'm not so sure. She still cringes when James cries or any child really. I don't hate her _anymore_. There was a time, when I couldn't stand the sight of her, I would leave the house at random hours of the day because she would pester me to pay attention to her. Those were the days that I longed to be in your company," he finishes solemnly.

"I didn't know you went through all that," she reaches out for his hand, "I want to be there for him. For you, but no more holding back okay? That means that I'm going to tell you truth and you're going to do the same. Got it? I don't want lies to break us up anymore. I want to move on with you. I want to be a family."

He leans in to kiss her on the lips, their first kiss, it was quiet and unassuming. It was loving and gentle, it was everything she wanted. She pulls back, "I know you're not angry at Ginny anymore, but _I'm_ not as forgiving. I'm not going to forgive her as easily as you do. I can't. She ruined and simultaneously gave you a better life. She gave you James in the process of tearing me away. I don't know if I can forgive her, Harry."

"It's okay, it took me three years for me to even look at her. After I took James from her, I hardly saw her, if I even saw a redhead by our home, the wards would go up. James doesn't even know that Ginny is his biological mother. He thinks she went missing. I haven't the heart to tell him that he was brought into this world to be used as a pawn… I love him, so much. I'll understand if you can't be with me because of James, but just know that I'll love you always."

"You silly melodramatic man, I love you, and I love James all ready. If I could be his mother, I would in a second. You must know that?"

"Of course I do, you're the most loving person I know," he looks around him."It's getting late, do you want to sleep here? I mean, I uh, I'll sleep on the couch…or something," he rambles embarrassedly.

Hermione giggles, "I'll sleep with you of course, if you want to sleep on the couch instead of with me, then by all means, sleep on the couch." Hermione gets out of his arms and starts walking towards the second room, she pauses at the door, "Coming?" she asks with a sultry smile.

Harry smiles before running after her. That night they snogged like they were teenagers instead of the adults they are. They cuddled after a while of kissing, "Can I ask you a question?" he asks tentatively.

"Yes, of course," she said with a smile.

"Promise you won't get mad?" he asks quietly.

"I promise, but I think I know where this is going, is this about Viktor?" she asks quietly.

"Yes, just don't forget that you promised that you wouldn't get mad….Did you sleep with him?" He says, his face screwed up into a grimace.

She winces, she tries to think of a way she could word this without sounding harsh. "Yes, I did. I loved him," she says quietly.

"Was he your first?" he asks quietly.

"Yes," she says with a sigh.

He sighs almost angrily, "Okay, last question, did you sleep with him last night?"

"Harry, what are you going to get out of it? Last night, you weren't on my mind, all the times that I slept with Viktor was me sharing myself with a man I loved. Yes, I did love him. But he isn't the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I hope to have your children, and I want to be your wife and James mother. Whether I slept with Viktor last night or not isn't going to change anything about the future. I don't care if you only slept with Ginny that one time or if you slept with her a hundred times. What matters is that you're here, with _me_, and that we love each other. Don't let the past ruin it. Please…."she says angrily.

"I'm sorry, of course you're right. I was just being a prat. I guess the jealousy was eating away at me. I'm sorry. But if it's any consolation, I only ever slept with Ginny that one time, she's the only one I've ever slept with…" he says with sorrow.

"Oh Harry, just that one time? Why?"  
"I couldn't find anybody who I loved. I only wanted you, but you left and I couldn't find you. So I waited and I looked for you," he says with finality, he kisses her softly. Soon the kisses escalate into frenzied kisses full of love and lust. Clothes start flying and the kisses become hurried. Then when all the barriers are gone, they became one, it was like magic.

Throughout the night, they made love, sometimes slowly and quietly and sometimes in a hurry. It was like they couldn't get _there_ fast enough.

In the light of the morning, Harry and Hermione were finally done with their lovemaking. "Are you happy?" Hermione asks, a faint smile on her face.

"Immensely," he says, smiling warmly at her.

"Me too," she whispers, a smile on her face. Her eyes widen, "Harry did you do the contraception charm last night?" she asks frantically.

"Would you be angry if I said, I don't want to do it?"

Her eyes soften, "Of course not, I just, I don't want to be pregnant now…I want to learn to be a mother to James and I want to move back home. Or we can start somewhere else, somewhere where we both can start fresh with James…" she says softly. She looks for her wand, she finds it on the floor next to her jeans and casts the charm. She sees his defeated look, "I do want a child with you, but I don't want to be hasty about it. We need to slow down for a bit. We need to get a home and make sure that James is okay with this. What if he decides that I'm not what you deserve?"

"Don't be absurd, I saw it in his eyes, he loves you all ready. I promise you that. He will be happy for us. He's wanted me to get married for ages…believe me, please?"

"I believe you," she says softly, she kisses him on the nose.

"We should get up, James likes to wake early," he looked at her closely, then when he saw her smile at him, "Let's get up."

After waking James they set out to have some breakfast. At breakfast, James asked them what they were going to do next. Harry and Hermione looked at each other with smiles on their faces, Hermione grabbed his little hand, "James, how would you feel like moving? Someplace beautiful and wonderful? Somewhere where we can start a new adventure?" she asks him with a bright smile.

He looks between Harry and Hermione, "Okay, where are we going? Can we buy a dog?"

They break out into laughter, "Of course son!" Harry agrees enthusiastically. Then he looks pensive, "I've always wanted a dog now that I think about it!"

They start walking towards their rooms, They bound over to the sofa, James sitting between them. Unknowingly looking like the family they're going to be.

Hermione conjures up a map, "Okay, so I was thinking of a method of choosing where to live. How about throwing a dart at the map and seeing where it lands to decide where to live?"

"Sounds great!" James says clapping his little hands.

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**Authors Note**: Hope you guys liked it! Review maybe?


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **So this chapter is a little late and I haven't even revised it but I wanted you guys to have the next chapter because I'm going to be away from my laptop for at least a week, so that means I don't know when I'll be posting the next chapter. But trust me, it won't take like a month or something. Read and review maybe?

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**Chapter 5**

"So where are we going?" Said Harry clapping his hands. He conjured up a dart, looking at Hermione and James, "Shall I have the honors?"

"You shall!" James said with a giggle.

They all laugh, "Okay, let's do this!"

Harry closed his eyes and threw the dart. Hermione and James watched it sail and land with a thud. Anticipation warred with patience and once it landed, they rushed to the map. Hermione lifted James in her arms, "Well, what does it say?" James asked impatiently.

"I think it landed in Greece!" Hermione said happily.

James claps his hands while they all do a dance around the room in laughter. They all collapse on the couch in tiredness, "So when do we leave?" James asks, his voice sounding happier than Harry's heard in months.

Harry looks over at Hermione, she shrugs, "Well, we don't have anything stopping us, what about in the next few days we get our affairs in order and then head to Greece to start our new adventure?" He says excitedly.

Over the course of two weeks, they arranged their affairs. Harry contacted Gringotts and the British Ministry, telling them both that he was making a spontaneous move to Greece and to not let the media know. Hermione sent in her letter of resignation to the Bulgarian Ministry; they accepted her resignation and all she had to do was send in a letter to the branch of Gringotts that was located in Bulgaria to send her accounts to the Greece branch. And thus, they made their way to Greece.

Before they were to leave Bulgaria, Hermione sent a letter to Viktor, which read as:

_Dear Viktor,_

_I know you probably don't want to hear from me ever again, but I just couldn't leave without letting you know how happy you made me in the last few years. I know that's the last thing you want to hear…but it's the truth. And I know that the way things ended was not the way you wanted to part. I'm sorry that I couldn't love you like you wanted me too. I did try, and I do love you, but it wasn't enough to make me stay. And for that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got your hopes up. I'm sorry I took advantage of your friendship. And most importantly, I'm sorry I took advantage of your love. _

_I'm sorry. _

_I'm just letting you know that I'm leaving. I hope you'll be able to forgive me one day. I know that there is a woman out there for you. And that she'll be able to love you like I couldn't. _

_Love,_

_Hermione J. Granger_

Sending that letter was difficult, but it needed to be done. And so she sent it. She looks to Harry who is asleep with James in his arms. They make a great picture she thinks.

She imagines him sitting with James in one arm and a little girl with black bushy hair in the other arm. _One day_, she sighs.

She gets up to shake him awake, "Harry," she whispers. Harry begins to stir, his grip on James tightens, "Harry, wake up. It's almost time to go…"

His eyes spring open, a wide smile erupts on his face, "James, buddy, its time to go!" he whispers in James ear.

Hermione smiles at his antics, she starts shrinking all the luggage to be put into her beaded bag. She only leaves a few bags for appearance sake.

She hears giggling coming from the bathroom, she goes and investigates to find son and father looking into the mirror doing their morning routine. She smiles at them, "You guys paint a lovely picture. Now hurry up, we're leaving soon. The plane boards at 10…so that leaves us with 1 hour to finish getting ready and get there! Move!" she says in her bossy tone. She watched them clean themselves up and throw their clothes on and rush towards the door to wait for her.

James reaches for her hand while Harry reached for their luggage, his eyes meet hers, "Meet you at the entrance?" he asks.

"Yup," she looks down at James,"Ready, little man?" she asks with a smile.

"Yup," he says and with a _pop_ they were gone.

Harry smiles goofily before following them out.

When he arrives at the airport, he finds Hermione with James in her arms and they're talking about all the things they're going to do when they get to Greece. He checks them in and ushers them towards a seating area. "So James, do you want a house by the beach or near the city? Imagine living by the sea?" Hermione asks with a bright smile.

She looks at Harry, an eyebrow raised in question. Harry shrugs,"Well, I know that I wouldn't care, as long as I got my two favorite people with me!"

"Me too!" Hermione agrees. After the war, she didn't bother looking for her parents, you can't reverse an _Obliviate_…and she lost her family. Hopefully they were happy wherever they were.

James snuggled into her arms, "You make a lovely family!" an elderly woman said as she passed them by. Hermione and Harry beamed at her. James smiled faintly into Hermione's shoulder.

"Flight 934 to Greece, Boarding now!" They heard over the intercom. Hermione walked with James in her arms, it was becoming one of the most cherished things she could do from now on. She loved the feeling it gave her. She wasn't always this maternal, there was a point in her life where she thought she didn't ever want children. And now she had James, and he was becoming an important piece of her heart. She caressed his head lovingly and plants a kiss on his head.

Harry watched on as his love tended to James. He always knew that Hermione was going to be in his life, always. It just took him a while to understand what way it was going to be. Now that he knew that Hermione loved him, it wasn't going to stop him from being the best father and husband (if she consented) to Hermione and James or any future children. He just couldn't wait until they finally had one of their own. A child that James would love and protect. He could already picture it.

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Reviews welcome!


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **So since I don't know when I'm going to be able to post the next chapter I decided to upload this chapter earlier then expected and let you guys have it! This chapter also hasn't been revised! Just letting you know! I might go back and revise chapters later!

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**Chapter 6**

When they arrived in Greece it was to a warm sunny day. "I think I'm going to like this country!" James said with a laugh.

Harry and Hermione chuckled, "Let's go look for a real estate agent!" They booked into their temporary home, a hotel near the town. They left their luggage and went to look for their real estate agent. A wizarding realtor was easily able to be contacted through Gringotts. Gringotts sent them a wizard who knew the city. The man they sent was short in stature and had graying hair and half moon spectacles that reminded them of Dumbledore.

"What are you looking for exactly?" he asked gruffly, huffing a little from the walk up the stairs!

"Well, I think we want a home by the sea, preferably 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, and did I mention the sea?" Harry asks with a grin.

The realtor smiles, "Yes, I think I can do that!"

"Oh can it not be one of those refurbished styled homes, we want a home with a history," Hermione asks, her eyes shining with happiness.

The realtor looks at her with a twinkle in his eyes, "Well, I have the perfect home for you…follow me," he says. He starts leading them up a hill near the coast. They start to see a home come into their sight, it was white stone with golden details. When they reached the top of the hill, they saw the most beautiful sight, the whole ocean was in their view. There were steps leading down into the water and Harry had to stop himself and James from running down the steps.

Harry turns to the realtor with a great smile, "Its perfect," he declares.

The realtor frowns, "You haven't seen the inside, and you don't know how much it costs yet!"

Hermione and Harry laugh and share a smile, "No, but I just know that this is it," Harry says surely.

Hermione nods, agreeing with him, "Where do we sign?" she asks.

And with a signature, the house was theirs.

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**(flash-forward — 5 months)**

Life was going great for the Potter-Granger Household. Harry had found work with the Greek Magical Ministry and Hermione had opted to stay home to learn to be a mother to James and work on some laws she wanted to be passed. And James, he was the most happy of them all. He had his father and he had his mother.

"Mummy?" James asked one afternoon while they were walking towards the beach. The sun shining on them causing them to sweat and redden a bit, "Can we get a dog?"

Hermione looked down sweetly at James, she loved how he called her mummy. He started calling her that one night about a week after they got to Greece. Harry was deliriously happy and Hermione was shocked but happy that James had accepted her. That's all she wanted, for Harry's son to accept her and possibly love her."Well, we'll have to discuss it with dad, yes? I don't know if you are ready to take care of a dog on your own!" She sees him start to lose courage, she hastily adds, "I'll see if I can persuade your father to consider it, I promise!" She stoops down to his level and holds out her pinky finger, James smiles and intertwines his pinky with her own. Hermione smiles at him and envelopes him in a hug and sneaks a kiss on his temple.

"Come on love, time for some water fun!" She grabs his hand and with a joint smile, they skip towards the water. When they reach the shore they drop their bags and rush to take off their outer clothes and with a yell of happiness they bound into the warm salty water. They play and splash each other with water. Hermione let's herself be free and plays with James while making sure that he stay's safe.

After a few hours of mindless fun, Hermione picks up James in her arms and carries him up the stairs to their home. James has fallen asleep in her arms and when they reach their home she carefully bathes him while he sleeps. She dresses him and lays him on his small bed. She kisses his forehead and places a charm on his room to make sure that he doesn't hurt himself and alerts her to when he wakes. She slowly and quietly closes the door making sure to leave it open a fraction to let light in.

Hermione smiles softly and heads towards her and Harry's room for a bath. While she's in the bath, Harry unknowingly walks into the house and trips on James beach toys. "Oomph," he grunts while he tries to steady himself, "why didn't James put his toys away!" he mutters to himself.

"Hermione?" He says softly, he hears humming coming from the bathroom. He opens the door and sees Hermione humming to herself as she lays in the bubble bath, looking at peace and happy.

He walks in slowly, trying to make as little as no noise, in case he disturbs her peace. Hermione smiles a little, trying to hide her knowledge that she knows Harry is in the room with her, she continues humming to herself, keeping up the facade.

Harry kneels down and softly runs his hand over her hair, she nuzzles deeper into him. She places a soft kiss on his palm, she opens her eyes and smiles softly at him, "Hi, how was the hunt?" she whispers.

He caresses her neck and face, "Great, but I think I want to quit the ministry…maybe start a business instead," he says just as softly, his eyebrows raise in question.

She nods happily, "I'll be happy to draw up some plans!" She starts to drain the tub and stands to see Harry holding open a towel for her to get in. She happily gets wrapped into the towel and Harry lifts her up and takes her to their room.

"Where's James?" he asks her softly.

"He's asleep, we had a very tiring day at the beach. You should've seen his face when he asked me again if we could get a dog…."she drifts off.

He smiles mischievously, "What would you say if I all ready looked into it and found the most perfect dog ever?"

She smiles then starts laughing,"What would you say if, _I_ too all ready looked into it and _I_ had the perfect dog too?"

They laugh together and Hermione starts dressing in one of the sundresses she bought when they first moved to Greece."I guess James will just have the best parents in the whole world of course and the best companions in those two dogs!"

She nods in acquiescence, she lightly grasps his hand and leads him into the kitchen. She pops open a bottle of wine that they bought when they first moved into their home. Harry raises an eyebrow in question, she shrugs. Since moving to Greece, they've gotten into the habit of drinking a glass of wine, whether it be the afternoon or late at night when they can't go to sleep and end up talking in bed.

While they both sip on their glass of wine, Harry looks up to look at Hermione. He notices the way her dress hugs her curves, the way her hair is lightly curled and now a light brown because of the sun. How her skin is lightly tan and she now has a permanent smile on her lips. How she looks happy…content. He puts his glass down gently on the counter, he walks to Hermione, grasps her left hand in his, kisses her ring finger before getting down on one knee.

Hermione's eyes widen as she sees him on one knee, she'd been waiting for this, she knew it was going to happen sometime, happiness bubbles in her chest. She smiles radiantly at him, Harry looks up at her, love shining in his eyes, "Hermione, I know that we've never really discussed marriage or anything, and we knew that it would eventually happen. And I may not be the most eloquent man in this world," he pauses to figure out what it was he wanted to say. "But I think I've always known," Hermione looks puzzled at this,"That it would be me and you in the end. I mean you're the only one that I've ever looked to, to guide me. To _love_ me, to show me how much I meant to people, but _none_ of that mattered, not if I didn't matter to _you_. I have made many mistakes in my life, one of them trusting a girl whose family I loved, but that is in the past. I want to move forward, with you, with our son, will you give me the honor of being your husband? Possibly?"

He looks up at Hermione with love and hope shining in his eyes. Hermione cries silently, "Of course,"she says, as it's obvious what her answer would be and with her promise, they sealed it with a kiss.

They stood in the kitchen, in each other's arms, for as long as they could when they started hearing shuffling coming from James room. They separate slowly, almost reluctantly, then Harry does something that completely baffles Hermione, he slaps himself on the forehead. "Harry?" Hermione questions softly.

"I'm such an idiot! Hermione I forgot the most important thing!" He starts patting his pockets in a frenzy.

"Harry, what is it you forgot? You proposed to me, silly man, there is nothing more important than asking that question, nothing…" she says with a smile.

He smiles in satisfaction to her reasoning, "Yeah, but I was going to make this proposal romantic and I was supposed to hand you the ring in the perfect moment! And I foiled my own plans!" He says stubbornly, he continues patting his pockets, "Aha! Gotcha!" he pulls out a small black box before opening it. He presents her the most perfect ring, a small oval sapphire with equally sized diamonds on each side ringed with diamond halos in a white gold setting. It was perfect.

Harry takes out the ring carefully and lovingly slips it onto Hermione's ring finger and before he lets it slip from his grasps, he kisses her fingers. "I love you," he says with love and happiness.

"I know, just like I love you," she leaps into his arms once again. She kisses his neck and nestles against him.

"Mummy? Da?" James sleepily walks into their little cocoon. Harry scoops him into his arms as Hermione leans against them with one of Harry's arms around her and James.

"How would you feel about mummy and me making it official James?" his little eyes widen in surprise and happiness.

"Really? Really, really?" he asks, awe in his voice. James looks at them incredulously.

They both nod at him and watch as he squirms in happiness. "How about some dinner, my love?" Hermione asks as she pulls James into her arms.

He nods happily, "Chicken?" he asks warily.

"Of course! Like you always want it?" Harry asks, while James nods in agreement. He starts pulling thing from the cupboards and the ice box.

Hermione pulls James onto a stool that they have around the kitchen island. James pulls Hermione's hand into his own and looks at the ring on her finger. "It's so pretty," he whispers. He brings it up to his eyes, "Da, can I have a ring too?"

Hermione smiles into her sons hair while Harry looks bewildered for a second, "Well, that ring is for your mummy," James smiles fades,"BUT I promise you, one day, you'll find a girl you'll love and you'll give her a ring, and when the time comes, she'll give you a ring in return. James, this girl, you have to love her, truly, and trust her, like I trust your mummy. Never forget that, okay?" Harry tells James so seriously, like he was afraid that history would repeat itself. Hermione quirks an eyebrow at that.

James looks imploringly at him, "Okay," he says simply before going back to looking at Hermione's ring. Hermione sees Harry's haunted look and places James on the stool and conjures him some canaries to play with.

She walks over to Harry and lays a hand on his forearm, "He's not going to make the same mistakes we made. We'll make sure of that," she says in a firm tone.

"How do we know?" He asks brokenly.

"Because he's our son, and we'll raise him right. And that's all we can do, teach him between right and wrong, and what love truly is. He is going to have an amazing life." She pulls his head down for a short sweet kiss. "It'll be okay," she whispers against his cheek.

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**Reviews welcomed...please? **


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